Maybe We Are
by FaeCym
Summary: A story that starts on the ship to Neverland. It has a few chapters but isn't complete. This is a SwanQueen Pairing and I'm not sure how I feel about finishing the story after the OUAT panel at Comic Con. The characters belong to Disney and the writers of the show. As they pointed out...Let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

The swaying of the ship should have made her sick. Perhaps if her stomach wasn't already in knots over the fact Henry was kidnapped and possibly hurt, she would have felt it. Hook and Gold were discussing the best way to approach some island. Apparently both of them had been here before. Neal mentioned being here as well. This is how he knew how to use Hook's ship to get his father back to Storybrooke. Thinking of Neal, his face as he let go, his confession of love before he fell…that is what made her puke over the side of the ship. She felt a hand on her back and closed her eyes a moment letting her mother comfort her. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and blinked as a lace handkerchief was handed to her.

"Use this, dear, is better than your sleeve." Regina said though her voice lacked its normal venom. It was then that Emma realized the comforting hand over her back had belonged to Regina and not her mother. Snow and David were standing together near Hook and Gold, listening to their discussion with rapt attention.

"Thanks. I…don't get seasick usually." She said after wiping her mouth again, this time with a scented handkerchief, with elaborate embroidery. She didn't ,offer the handkerchief back yet as she wasn't sure her stomach was through tossing its contents into the sea.

"I am sure it has more to do with our son's kidnapping, losing Baelfire and having to work with me to save the town." As Regina spoke she gave a half smile and looked out over the water. Emma felt her heart jump at that statement. She wasn't sure if it was the reference to losing Neal or that fact Regina called Henry "our" son. Emma closed her eyes and tried not to throw up. She had lost both of them in one day.

"We'll get him back and I'll make Greg and Tamara pay." There was the venom. Mary Margaret had said Regina had been tortured. Horribly tortured by Greg…what if he did the same to Henry. Fear seized her heart again. Gold and Hook walked over with her parents close behind. She reached out her hand and for some reason found the small of Regina's back and steadied herself. She felt Regina's hand dart out to hold her upright. Snow's eyes flashed at the contact but turned her head the way she does when something intriguing occurs. Great, all Emma needed was her mother worried about her.

"The force to be reckoned with here is Peter Pan." Gold said.

"What? Are you kidding me? Peter-fucking-Pan has my kid?" she was over all of these crazy assed fractured fairy tales messing with her life.

"No I am not. He is evil at the core. He has been stealing children from your world for centuries. He keeps them here, on the Island of Lost Boys…" Gold was interrupted by Hook that continued.

"He was looking for a specific boy, I think. He was very interested in Bae when he was here."

Gold looked at him. " So that is how my son could pilot your ship." Hook nodded and then went on to explain.

"he is bad news. He can rip your shadow off of you, leaving you in excruciating pain. His Shadow is what travels to the other world. I had to flee back to fairytale land. His Minions patrol the waters around the island. Gold thinks he can cloak the boat.."

"I know I can. Magic is here, a bit different, like all worlds but it is here. I can call upon it to cloak the ship. The problem will be once we step ashore, we obviously aren't children and will be noticeable."

"Perhaps we can do a past glamour spell, turning us back to child form long enough to locate Henry." Regina offered as she looked to Gold for guidance. Emma noted that she seemed confident he could do such a spell. Maybe he had used it before.

"It is possible dearie, but only with certain herbs. I doubt the good Captain here has the necessary ingredients in his cabin." Gold responded, his voice wasn't too unkind, perhaps acknowledging that she was a upset mother and not thinking straight.

"Actually, I still have most of Cora's items below. I am pretty sure she had herbs in one of the cases.." Regina's eyes shot to Hook and she clenched her jaw.

"More items spelled with magic to take mine away? You think I'd trust.." she pushed pass Emma towards Hook with every intention of hitting him across the face. Emma, however, grabbed her arm and stopped her progression.

"Calm down Regina. We all have to trust each other here. We are here to save Henry. If Hook and Gold can work together you can work with Hook as well." She brought her hand up to Regina's back and slowly rubbed small comforting circles, just as she had done for her moments before. She noticed then that Regina was trembling. She also noted the rings under her eyes. She was near an exhausted break. When they had worked together to stop the diamond, she had felt Regina's magic flow through her, it had the taste of power…but was faint compared to her own. Regina was drained from the torture and the use of magic. This gave her an idea.

"Regina and I will go below and look. I will touch everything first, if it is rigged to hurt anyone, you can come up here and kill Hook." Emma's voice was clear and strong as she spoke about killing Hook. She was desperate and she knew the idea of his death would appease Regina some.

"Absolutely not. You will not play guinea pig to his shenanigans. Emma you are magical too, it could hurt you." Snow's voice was laced with fear. The same fear she felt herself at the moment for Henry. She noted how her father stepped closer and offered support to Snow. They were constant in their love. She felt her heart squeeze again as she saw Neal's face again as he fell away from her.

"No way I will let her touch it. It is okay, I'll check it first." Regina said as she walked with trembling legs down below. Emma went with her but turned as she descended to say. " I am going to try and get her to rest some. I'll bring the herbs up to you Gold." He nodded in response and she ignored the look of the others that seemed surprised she cared about Regina's state. As she walked she saw Regina had collapsed at the bottom of the stairs. She hurried to her, not calling out but just helping her up. Regina made noises as if she could stand on her own but gave up when her legs failed. She actually started to cry.

"I can't be weak. He needs me to be strong." She murmured as Emma gently helped her to sit on the bed. Emma stood and swayed a moment herself before saying.

"I only held that diamond for a short time in my magic and I felt the drain. You were not at your best to begin with, so give yourself a break, rest. I will search out the herbs." Regina sat up at those words.

Her dark eyes searched the cabin as she spoke " My mother may have spelled them for protection…and Hook used something on a cuff of my mother's to bind my magic. It was terrifying, Emma. Please be careful." Emma swallowed because the concern in her voice made her eyes tear up. She looked through the trunks as she spoke.

"Well I'm used to not having magic, it is having the magic that freaks me out." She tried to sound flippant and not concerned. It didn't take her long to find a small case of herbs but she kept looking for more, hoping there was a bigger selection.

"You could have fooled me. I was lost, then I felt your magic, it was warm and strong, urging me to focus, to push all of the destruction back in to the trigger…" her voice sounded so in awe. Emma looked up and gave a shy shrug. Regina laughed softly at her obvious discomfort at the praise and closed her eyes. Emma found another case and carried it over to the bed. She saw Regina was dozing and took both cases up the stairs to the deck.

She wasn't surprised to find Snow standing by the door, looking down as if she could see in to the hold. Emma handed each case up to Snow and said " Have Gold look, Regina is resting and I don't want to leave her alone." Snow just nodded but this news didn't seem to make her worry any less. She just didn't care. At the present moment the only person that could possibly understand what she felt was Regina. Well maybe David, he too had watched his child go through a portal and was unable to follow. She made a note to give her Dad a big hug when she came on the deck again. Emma sat down across from Regina and watched her sleep. She couldn't help but think about all the nights Regina must have watched Their son sleep. Would she ever really be able to repay her for that? Evil or not, Regina had loved her son and taken care of him when Emma was unable. She was evil and had done unspeakable things, yet Emma knew that equally unspeakable things had been done to Regina. Time passed and Emma closed her eyes as well.

She wasn't sure how long it was before she heard Regina wake with a start " Henry? Emma?" she said as she opened her confused brown eyes. Emma moved closer to her on the bunk immediately and reached out to touch Regina's hand. It was the first time they had touched since their magic had combined. Emma felt a jolt of power between them. She started to pull away but Regina clung to her hand. It wasn't a process…it was a simple choice, Emma gave herself a moment to think, _I will give her strength and we will find our son._ The white light that emanated from her hands seemed to flow in to Regina. The older woman gasped and brought her other hand up to push a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear. It was very intimate and Emma thought she should pull back or bat her hand away, but you can't be picky with boundaries when you are feeding someone your own personal magic. She felt the pull of the magic, her strength, but kept on giving because Regina seemed to need it. It was Regina that pulled away.

"You can't keep that up and still stand, dear Emma." Regina's voice was thick and full of something Emma had never heard before. She blinked and looked in to Regina's eyes. They were glowing with her magic and seemed almost blue. This made Emma smile and that brought an equally brilliant smile to Regina's full red lips.

"Did it help?" Emma asked, willing her hands to stop feeding her magic to Regina, but not letting go of her hand. Their hands felt so good together she didn't want it to stop. Regina smiled and nodded, then leaned back against side of the ship and closed her dark brown eyes.


	2. Chapter 2 The Plan

**Last Chapter I wrote, let me know what you think...not sure I will continue it due to feelings over Comic Con Panel and their blatant disregard for SwanQueen fans. ***

Sometime later, Emma heard Regina's voice, clear not filled with sleep say, " He won't hurt Henry, right?" Her voice was small, smaller than Emma had ever heard. Her brown eyes, now open, looked up from the bunk and right into Emma's eyes. Her breath caught. The fierce, strong Regina, needed her assurance that their son would be alright.

"They must have had a reason to take him. He won't do what he did to you.." Emma's voice trailed off as she looked away from Regina rather than look at her as she recalled her recent torture.

"No, I should say not, "she said as even her voice betrayed the horror of the memory. Emma looked up at her then and took a breath before she asked.

"Why..I mean were they asking about Henry?" She asked softly, but they really did need to know some information about the motive of Greg and Tamara.

Regina shook her head and replied "No...never once. He wanted to know where his father was…Graham killed him 28 years ago to protect me. I buried him myself. I …didn't want to kill him but he knew Storybrooke was magical. Greg and His father had the misfortune of camping in the woods, near Storybrooke when the curse was enacted. No…hurting me was revenge for taking his father." Regina shrugged after she spoke. She then looked at Emma and continued. "Not everyone is as forgiving as the Savior." Emma winced at the name. Regina's tone wasn't mocking, but matter-of-fact. "He said no one had believed him but eventually others…he never said who…did. Then he looked for us, until he found the town when the Curse was broken."

Emma asked, "Mary...um Snow said she saw through…some sorta magic from Gold. She said.."

"While he had me?" Regina asked, interrupting Emma.

"Yeah, David wasn't specific but he said it was bad. That is how we found you. She smelled sardines." Regina's eyes got big as she remembered. She seemed to recall the tear Gold had taken all those years ago. She wondered what they had offered in return for his help.

"I'm Sorry that couldn't have been pleasant for either of your parents." Regina said as she closed her eyes briefly and shook herself. "I didn't know that the device could do…I learned. It hurt worse than charged wild magic."

"Who threw charged magic at you? A fight with Gold?" Emma asked to change the subject from that recent bad memory. She couldn't think long about how Greg had treated Regina, it infuriated her and made her sick with worry about what he might do to Henry.

"My mother, when I broke a pitcher of milk, well that was the first time. " Regina seemed to be thinking back.

"How old were you?" Emma was almost afraid to ask. Regina didn't look up. She just spoke in a low voice.

"Five. It was a common punishment until my body learned to absorb the energy and I learned to control my reaction and not show it hurt. I tried that with Greg but…" she shrugged and smiles up at Emma. She then straightened her back, her body clearly saying she would resent any pity.

" I had this Foster mom when I was five. She had a basement with this tiny damn closet. If I broke anything or woke her up from her nap, I'd get locked in it. To this day I don't like walking in to closets. It wasn't the same as being hurt with magic." Emma prepared herself for the scathing reply, the fighting words where Regina rejected any attempt to bond over painful memories.

"No …probably worse though you were alone. I had my father." Her voice cracked. "He was a weak man…but he loved me as best.." she stopped talking and got a vacant expression. She looked off across the narrow confines of the ship. It was then they turned, hearing Snow walk in to the room.

"Good to see you are up. Here, it isn't much but Hook did have some cheese and bread." She didn't look at Emma as she spoke. Emma somehow knew she'd overheard about her foster mother. Damn, she'd always been so careful not to mention some of the horrors from her youth around her parents. What good would it do? She can't change the past and it would just hurt her parents.

Taking the food she said, "Thank you …Mom." Emma smiled and hoped using her title would help Snow to not feel bad. She too some bread and put it on a napkin for Regina. The Evil Queen seemed a bit confused and just looked at them both.

"You know I was supposed to go through…the enchanted wardrobe. But you came early and there was room for only one and very little…" Emma reached up and put her fingers on her mom's lips.

"Hush now, it worked out. Think of it this way…had I not been alone, I'd not ran away, met Neal, had Henry, given him away and he wouldn't be the fine boy Regina raised him to be. I can't imagine ANY world without Henry." This kind comment seemed to cause Regina to swallow with difficulty.

"Regina you have such a nice palate. Perhaps you can settle a bet between Charming and I about the Origin of this cheese?" Snow asked, changing the subject as she put the biggest piece of cheese on Regina's napkin. Regina perked an eyebrow at the compliment and her not so veiled attempt to get her to eat. She took the cheese piece and bit into it chewing slowly. The taste of the cheese seemed to ignite her hunger. She realized as Snow had to have figured out, She hadn't eaten since before she heard the Charming's plan to abandon her alone. That was three days ago. She thought perhaps she could magic something else to eat. But even with Emma's help, she still felt too weak. She swallowed the bite and then ate all of the bread. Snow provided some water which she drank as bit too fast. Emma shot her arm out and gathered Regina closer to her as she coughed. They looked at each other for a moment and just like earlier, Emma felt that electric pulse pass through her body.

"Um hat is plain ole goat cheese from Our Enchanted Forest." She said as she looked away from Emma's eyes. "Hook probably stole it from one of the villagers left. It is the kind that your father hated."

Snow's face brightened as she remembered. " I remember he got mad at the cook for serving it after you…" Snow stopped and offered a faint smile. Regina nodded and ate more. "He was a bit stuck up." Snow said. Regina nodded again and finished her bread.

She then looked at Emma, who hadn't taken a bite and said "Eat Emma, he needs us." Emma took a bite of the bread but gave Regina the cheese.

Regina looked at her, as if to argue her eyebrow already raised Emma said, "I don' t like Goat Cheese." This for some reason made them all laugh. They were laughing when Charming walked in to the cabin. He seemed a bit stunned.

Regina stopped laughing immediately and asked him, "Did Rumple find what he needed?" Her voice was so hopeful that Emma's heart clenched again. She looked to her father, perhaps for the first time in her life, hoping he would tell her that Gold had it all figured out and everything would be alright.

"He did, but now he needs to see us. If you're…" before he could finish, Regina and Emma rushed passed him and up the stairs. It was night when they emerged. The ship's deck was dark and Emma wondered how Hook could see. She then realized they must be anchored, because the ship's forward movement was stalled. She should have known since the bread she just ate was staying down. She thought for a moment about giving Regina back her handkerchief, but for some reason, clutching it in her hand helped to calm her. Emma didn't allow her thoughts to linger on that fact.

"Here's the deal, dearies, this potion will revert us all to children around 9 or 10 years of age. You will be as you were then. I have, created some clothing that fits the modern world's Victorian era sleepwear. Hook shared some information about the Isle of Lost Boys. However, since we revert physically to our former selves, this does create a problem for some of us. "

"Our Magic." Regina said, with a concerned look. Emma's head darted to her and then to Gold to see him nod confirming something she didn't understand. Yet again, it was like others knew more than she did and she was sick and damn tired of it.

"What about yo…our magic?" Emma asked. She couldn't help the fear that crept in to her voice. She felt a hand on her back and felt the surge of energy that she now realized was Regina's magic.

It was Regina that answered her with a soft voice, " We were born with the ability to do magic but it doesn't usually manifest until puberty or when a Master…um teacher…helps you to trigger it or when another force or severe trauma is there to trigger it." Emma noted that Regina looked to Gold to see if she forgot something.

"So when I touched you at the Town Hall?" She asked, turning her body to face Regina noting that the older woman didn't lower her arm, so essentially she was still standing in her embrace.

Regina blushed and looked in to Emma's eyes before saying " I'd never felt that before. After the curse when magic returned, I couldn't access it. You jump started my magic. I had to use a book to gain control back in Stortybrooke.

Gold said, "that is because magic there is different…wild and pure. Emma is the embodiment of wild magic, the product of true love. The fact she could reignite your ability with a touch is very telling….about you." He looked at Regina with impish delight as he said that. Regina glared at him as he said it but Emma noted she also stepped in front of her, turning so she was between Gold and the Sherriff.

Feeling a fight could erupt, Emma continued " So you are saying that if Regina, you are I take the potion we could be powerless?" Gold nodded.

Hook spoke up, "It doesn't matter, it is the Isle of Lost _BOYS _not girls." This started a heated argument. The Ladies, all wanted to go after Henry. Finally, it was Emma that got them to quiet down to listen.

"Listen, I'm useless with magic, so I'll go with David and Hook…that way our own powerful magic users will be there for fight their way in to get us." This set off more loud discussion.

Snow White spoke up then, using her Royal voice, "That is ridiculous. You are powerful as well and your magic may be_ the MOST use to us here. _I will go, disguised as a boy. I was a tomboy anyway, plus I could shoot a bow and arrow by then, not as good as now, butthis will be easier for me. Besides, I won't be separated from Charming." As she spoke, Emma felt panic rise and she clutched Regina's handkerchief to her stomach. There was no way she could stand to be on the boat and not go after Henry.

Again it was Regina's voice that brought comfort and seemed to push back the rising panic. " I can see the logic in what she says, Emma. It is just hard for someone as active as Miss Swan here to stand-by idle while her loved ones…her whole family is in danger." Emma could only nod as Regina voiced her trouble. She clenched her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. She felt rather than saw both Snow and Regina move closer to her side.

Hook's voice cut through the pounding of panic in her ears as he said, "Back in Fairytale Land, when you climbed your first beanstalk.."

Regina interrupted, her eyes wide, " You climbed a beanstalk?" Emma actually smiled at the surprise in her voice and her facial expression. All the time they'd known each other, all the stuff Emma had done, saved Regina's life more than once….all of that and what had impressed her was climbing a beanstalk!

"As I was saying, I recall you telling your then over protective mother, that you could handle it. I think this time, you have to trust Her Majesty Snow White to do what needs to be done." Emma looked at him for awhile. He usually wasn't that sensitive or logical.

Still she had to try again, "Thing is, I'm pretty useless with magic.." She could tell her voice sounded desperate.

David interjected, his voice was calm as he reached up to caress his daughter's face, "You weren't when you and Regina saved Storybrooke."

Emma argued, "That was Regina. She took my magic and used it…" Regina squeezed her arm and Emma looked to her as if to ask 'what did I say?'

Gold asked quickly, " She what? The two of you combined your magic to stop this trigger?" Emma nodded and she noticed that Regina clenched her teeth and her nails dug in to her arm painfully. Only then did she realize that Regina didn't want Gold to know they had worked together with their magic. However, Emma knew he was a fountain of magical knowledge and secrets at this point could be dangerous, so she continued, " I was also able to feed Regina some of my magic earlier to stave off her exhaustion." Gold turned away from them thinking and Regina dropped her hand, crossing her arms in a very familiar way. Emma missed her touch, even if it was painful. Deciding she didn't care what anyone thought, she reached out and took Regina's hand in hers, squeezing it and trying to convey with her eyes that she was sorry for telling but she felt it needed to be done.

"I think it is best that you both stay and Regina tutors you on how to help with magic in a fight." Gold said when he turned back around. Emma felt Regina stiffen and she pulled her hand away.

"Me? You're the magic teacher." She seemed to be shocked that Rumplestiltskins would share a chance to influence "The Savior".

He explained, "you two are already connected. Don't try to deny it." Regina just straightened her back and gave him her best dismissive Queen look.

"I've never taught magic." She said as if this fact ended the discussion. Regina didn't do things she hadn't practiced and could do well. Not anymore.

Emma moved to stand before her, meeting her withering gaze with a soft quizzical expression. "Not even to Henry, at little?" Regina shook her head.

"I showed him some as I made James…Charming's sleeping curse, that's it. He asked about it some and seemed interested but he was worried I'd go back to…" She didn't finish that sentence because all there knew she had done just that. The fact she turned to defensive magic first, after she was framed wasn't mentioned either. She knew it was her attempt to control him with magic that brought on his aversion…the boy with two magical mothers, hated magic.

"Okay, I'll stay on the boat, but we have to set a time limit….a time that if you aren't back on the beach, signally for help, we will go and get your all with magic..um blazing, " Emma conceded.

Snow White looked at her daughter, reaching up much as David had done to touch her face and gently make her focus on her mother, " Like the arrangement you made with Mulan to burn down the beanstalk if you didn't return in a certain time?" Emma looked flushed as her Father seemed to gape at them both.

"No different. We have to focus on Henry. I say you get two hours to find him, release him if you can or report back to the beach where Gold dropped you off." After more discussion, and Gold sharing that the potion would only work for 12 hours, so they changed the rendezvous deadline to dawn, seven hours away. After they agreed, Gold gave each, Snow, David and Hook a small sip of the purple glowing mixture. Almost immediately, Hook grabbed at his silver hook and tore it off, screaming out in pain. Emma ran to him then looked back at Gold and her parents suddenly very afraid. Regina didn't seem to be in a panic, she just moved to Snow White.

"Oh, did I forget to mention the potion will grow his hand back? It is a bit painful when working with this potion." Gold didn't even try to hide the glee in his voice as he moved over to David. Emma glared at him as Hook shrunk before her and curled in to a whimpering ball on his deck. Regina caught Snow White as she collapsed and helped to untangle her from the big clothing she now wore. Regina gasped in surprise and Snow clutched at her neck, whimpering softly. David just grunted and fell forward. Gold helped him up and with some magic assisted him into his pajamas he had created. Hook finally set up, looking at his new perfect hand in awe. When he finally looked at Emma, it was with the saddest eyes she had ever seen on a child.

Regina was visibly shaken as she put Snow White in her PJ's and with a flick of her wrist, cut the hair that hand grown long, back to her pixie cut, making her look like a small delicate boy. Snow White was younger than when she first met Regina. Yet, she clung to her neck like she did that day on the horse.

"Do they still recall everything they need to know to do this?" Emma cursed to herself for just now realizing that as she pulled Hook's nightshirt over his head.

Gold seemed delighted to test it, "Let's see. Snow, why don't you look at Charming." All watched as she turned her head out from Regina's neck to look at the scruffy boy, that resembled Henry more than Emma had ever realized. Snow's face lit up with that bright look she always had when she looked at her love. It seemed a bit out of place but it was obvious that they still remembered everything.

"I remember my true love. I recall it all." She said, her voice smaller and childlike. Even though she recalled it all, Snow did not let go of Regina's neck. Emma looked at them, seeing for the first time how much Snow White must have loved her Stepmother before Cora manipulated them in to a cycle of revenge and hate.

"Alright, you three munchins, into the boat." Gold said as he deftly skimmed over the side and down the ropes. Hook was right after, not waiting and scurring over the side like a boy born on a ship. David hugged Emma around the waist then went to the side of the ship and looked back at his Snow. She didn't let go of Regina's neck. So the older woman stood and carried Snow White over to her husband, placing her down with infinite gentleness. Emma followed and when Regina set her down, she heard Snow White say " Thank you, Regina." Snow White took her daughter's hand in her own, it was so small to Emma she couldn't see the logic in this venture and almost tried to argue against the plan again. But the squeeze of her hand and the very mature look in her mother's eyes silenced her protest. David picked up a bow and a quiver of arrows from the deck and slipped them on his wife. They fit her perfectly. Emma assumed they too were from Gold. Then they went over the side, David assisting Snow to go down the ropes first, before he followed without a look back. As a child or not, her father was a hero. Emma couldn't help the flush of pride she felt as she looked over with Regina and watched Gold rowing them out of the cloaked protection of the ship and towards the dark Isle of Lost Boys.


End file.
